British Grand Prix stats and facts

The most notable record from yesterday’s British Grand Prix was that Fernando Alonso has equalled Jackie Stewart’s 27 Formula 1 victories. Here’s more stats from this weekend:

Alonso also set the fastest lap, his 19th of his career, as many as Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill and Stirling Moss. It is the 225th fastest lap by a Ferrari driver.

Pirelli have claimed that 585 overtaking moves have been completed so far this season (not including undercutting in pit stops, or any move on the first lap). 547 overtakes were made in the whole of the 2010 season.

Interestingly, Vettel’s domination of 2011 almost exactly matches Alonso’s start to the 2006 season. In both cases, both drivers took 6 wins and 3 2nd places in the first 9 races.

This was Sebastian Vettel’s 14th front row start in a row. He has 32 in total (22 from pole) out of 71 race entries, a rate of 45% – which is the 4th highest in F1 history. Only Clark, Fangio and Senna have higher percentages.

Vettel has also secured 11 podium positions in a row – a record only beaten by Alonso and Schumacher.

9 of those podiums were from the start of this season, as many as Lewis Hamilton (2007) and Fernando Alonso (2006). Only Michael Schumacher has more podiums in a row from the start of a season, taking 17 in a row in 2002.

Renault suffered their worst qualifying this year – with 14th and 16th places for Petrov and Heidfeld.

In terms of most career points without becoming world champion, Mark Webber has moved into 2nd place, 0.5 points ahead of David Coulthard.

Sergio Perez equalled his best result with 7th place.

Daniel Ricciardo’s debut means that there are two Australian F1 drivers for the first time in 34 years.